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Section Three
The Scottish Government Draft Gaelic Language Plan

CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION

Overview of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 and the preparation of Gaelic Language Plans

The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005

The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 was passed by the Scottish Parliament with a view to securing the status of the Gaelic language as an official language of Scotland commanding equal respect to the English language.

This is a critical time for the future of Gaelic. The position of the language is extremely fragile and the declining numbers of those speaking Gaelic fluently or as a mother-tongue in the language's traditional heartlands threatens the survival of Gaelic as a living language in Scotland. It is essential that steps are taken to create a sustainable future for Gaelic in Scotland.

One of the key features of the 2005 Act is the provision enabling Bòrd na Gàidhlig (the Scottish Government's principal Gaelic development body) to require public bodies to prepare Gaelic Language Plans. This provision was designed to ensure that the public sector in Scotland plays its part in creating a sustainable future for Gaelic by raising its status and profile and creating practical opportunities for its use.

The requirement to prepare a Gaelic Language Plan

The requirement for a public body to prepare a Gaelic Language Plan is initiated by Bòrd na Gàidhlig issuing a formal notice to that effect under section 3 of the 2005 Act. The Scottish Government was issued with a notice in August 2006, and was asked to submit its Gaelic Language Plan to the Bòrd for approval during June 2009.

Key considerations when preparing a Gaelic Language Plan

The 2005 Act sets out a number of specific criteria which must be taken into account by bodies preparing Gaelic Language Plans. These are designed to ensure that Gaelic Language Plans which are prepared are comprehensive, consistent and appropriate to the particular circumstances of the body preparing it.

(i) the extent to which the persons in relation to whom the authority's functions are exercisable use the Gaelic language, and the potential for developing the use of the Gaelic language in connection with the exercise of those functions

This consideration is designed to ensure that the Gaelic Language Plans prepared by public bodies take account both of the existing number of speakers within their area of operation, and their potential to develop the use of the language. Generally speaking, the expectation is that public bodies with significant numbers of Gaelic speakers within their area of operation will develop stronger Gaelic Language Plans.

(ii) statutory guidance on the preparation of Gaelic Language Plans published by Bòrd na Gàidhlig under section 8 of the 2005 Act

Bòrd na Gàidhlig has published statutory guidance under section 8 of the 2005 Act, which provides advice on how Gaelic Language Plans should be structured, and on the content which public authorities should consider including in their plans.

(iii) the National Plan for Gaelic

The National Plan for Gaelic is a statutory document produced by Bòrd na Gàidhlig under section 2 of the 2005 Act. The National Plan offers a holistic overview of Gaelic development needs, covering language acquisition, language usage, language status and language corpus issues. It sets out priorities for Gaelic development, and identifies bodies which can contribute to achieving them.

(iv) any representations made to the public body preparing its plan about how it uses Gaelic

This provision is designed to ensure that public bodies take into account the views of interested parties in the preparation of their Gaelic Language Plans. The principal means of obtaining these views by the Scottish Government will be through public consultations on its draft Plan.

(v) the principle of equal respect

The principle of equal respect was incorporated into the 2005 Act by the Scottish Parliament as a positive statement about the value and worth of Gaelic, in recognition of the fact that users of Gaelic aspire to use Gaelic as normally as possible in their lives, that there should be a generosity of spirit towards Gaelic across Scotland, and that the language should not suffer from any lack of respect either at an individual or corporate level. The Bòrd's guidance states that giving Gaelic equal respect does not automatically mean identical treatment for Gaelic and English, or that a particular level of Gaelic provision must be made available in all circumstances. Instead, it encourages public bodies to endeavour, whatever the particular linguistic landscape they face, to be supportive and generous to Gaelic development and to prepare their Gaelic Language Plans with a view to facilitating the use of Gaelic to the greatest extent that is appropriate to their individual circumstances. When delivering services in Gaelic, we shall endeavour to ensure they are of a comparable standard and quality as those they provide in English.

Consultation on a draft Gaelic Plan

The 2005 Act requires public bodies to bring the preparation of its Gaelic Language Plan to the intention of those with an interest in it. To do so, the Scottish Government consulted publicly on a draft of its Gaelic Plan in 2009.

Approval of the Scottish Government Gaelic Language Plan

The Scottish Government Gaelic Plan will be submitted to the Bòrd and will be approved by the Bòrd.

Overview of the functions of the Scottish Government and the use of Gaelic within our area of operation

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. The Scottish Government was established in 1999, following the first elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government is led by a First Minister who is nominated by the Parliament and in turn appoints the other Scottish Ministers who make up the Cabinet.

Scottish Government civil servants are accountable to Scottish Ministers, who are themselves accountable to the Scottish Parliament. The senior board of the Scottish Government is called the Strategic Board. The Board is chaired by the Permanent Secretary and the members of the Board are Director-Generals of the core Directorates of the Scottish Government plus three non-executive members.

The Scotland Act lists, in Schedule 5, the matters that are reserved. Any matter not so reserved, or otherwise defined in the Act as being outwith the competence of the Parliament, is devolved. Table 1 below shows some of the key devolved and reserved issues. The Scottish Government is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education, justice, environment and rural affairs, and transport. The outcome of the Spending Review 2007 was announced on 14 November 2007. Scotland's budget is £29.8 billion from 2007/08 to 2010/11.

The Scottish Government's main offices are located in Edinburgh at Victoria Quay, St Andrew's House, Saughton House and Pentland House; and, in Glasgow, at Meridian Court and Europa Building. Additionally, we also have around 30 area offices stretching from Kirkwall in the North to Stranraer in the South.

The work of the Scottish Government is carried out by:

• The Scottish Government - the mainstream civil service in Scotland with the core Directorates of Economy and Chief Economic Adviser, Heath and Wellbeing, Justice and Communities, Environment, Education and the Office of the Permanent Secretary;
• Agencies - established by Ministers as part of Scottish Government departments, or as departments in their own right, to carry out a discrete area of work. Agencies are staffed by civil servants;
• Public bodies ( NDPBs) - national and regional public bodies, carrying out their day-to-day functions independently of Ministers, but for which Ministers are ultimately accountable; and
• Task Forces - advisory bodies established by Ministers to investigate and report on particular issues. Task Forces have a short lifespan, normally around a year or so, and are abolished once they have reported.

The Scottish Government's area of operation is all of Scotland. It therefore follows that all of Scotland's Gaelic speakers and Gaelic communities are within the area in which the Scottish Government operates including all of the districts in which persons able to understand, speak, read or write Gaelic form a majority of the population.

Demographics¹

The total number of people recorded as being able to speak and/or read and/or write and/or understand Gaelic in the 2001 census was 92,400 (1.9% of the Scottish Population). Of these, the total number of people who could speak Gaelic was 58,652 (1.15% of the Scottish Population).

While the number of Gaelic speakers declined overall in the last census, the number of people able to speak and also to read and write Gaelic increased between 1991 and 2001 reflecting a growth in Gaelic literacy and growing numbers of Gaelic learners. The number of children aged 5-15 able to speak Gaelic also increased between 1991 and 2001. It is a priority for this Government to stabilise the number of Gaelic speakers at their 2001 levels by the 2021 census.

Gaelic speakers are spread throughout Scotland. Of the Gaelic speakers identified in the 2001 census, just over half lived in the Highland counties (the Highland Council, Argyll & Bute Council and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar areas) and just under half in the Lowland areas. Gaelic is spoken by a majority of people in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area and in the parish of Kilmuir in the Isle of Skye within the Highland Council area. Only just over a quarter of speakers live in localities where Gaelic speakers form a majority.

There is a high degree of urbanisation within the Gaelic speech community with large concentrations of Gaelic speakers living in Greater Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Aberdeen. For example, 11,211 Gaelic speakers, or 19% of all Gaelic speakers, live in Greater Glasgow according to the 2001 census. ²

There is no authoritative figure for the number of non-fluent adult learners. However, a national study in 1995 by John Galloway on behalf of Comunn na Gàidhlig, the Gaelic development agency, found that there were roughly 8,000 in Scotland. ³

There are around 2,500 primary and secondary schoolchildren in Gaelic-medium education ( GME) nationally at present, with a further 700 children in Gaelic-medium nurseries. Within English-medium education between 2,500 and 3,000 learners study Gaelic as a secondary subject each year between S1 and S6. ⁴ Many children in English-medium primary schools take part in the Gaelic Language in the Primary School scheme each year: around 6,500 children in the 2005/6 session.

CHAPTER II - CORE COMMITMENTS

In its statutory Guidance on the Development of Gaelic Language Plans, Bòrd na Gàidhlig identifies one of the key aspects to normalising the use of Gaelic to be in creating the conditions for its use in public life. The Bòrd has identified four core areas of service delivery that it wishes public bodies to address when preparing their Gaelic Language Plans. These are:

The Scottish Government recognises that each of these four corporate functions can play an important role in raising the profile and visibility of Gaelic, and of creating practical opportunities for Gaelic speakers and learners. This section of our Gaelic Language Plan sets out in turn what Gaelic provision will be made in relation to each of the functions.

In considering how it can develop its Gaelic provision in these areas, the Government has had regard to the statutory requirements laid out in the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, and to the Bòrd's Guidance on the development of Gaelic Language Plans. The Guidance states that, in general terms, the expectation is that in those geographical locations, in which the percentages or numbers of Gaelic speakers is greater, the scope of the Gaelic Language Plan will be wider and the level of commitments in it will be stronger.

The Scottish Government operates across all areas of Scotland - in developing its Gaelic language provision, we will therefore adopt a minimum level of provision which will apply to all of our areas of operation, and will provide an enhanced level of provision in areas where the number of Gaelic speakers is greater. The Scottish Government intends to conduct a language audit within the first year of implementation of our Gaelic Language Plan to help identify aspects of services and geographical areas where more detailed Gaelic provision may be feasible and desirable.

This section sets out the minimum level of Gaelic language provision which we commit to providing in the 5-year lifetime of the plan. All areas of the Scottish Government will be encouraged to exceed this basic level of provision and to gradually increase over the lifetime of the plan the Gaelic provision which they offer. We also recognise that this Gaelic Language Plan represents a starting point, and expects our future plans to represent step changes in the basic minimum level of Gaelic language provision which will be offered.

Section 1 - Identity

The presence of Gaelic in the corporate identity and signs of a public authority can greatly enhance the visibility of the language, and makes an important statement by a public authority about how Gaelic is valued and how it will be given recognition. Developing the use of Gaelic through signs can also enrich the vocabulary of Gaelic users and contribute to the development of the language.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of creating widespread awareness of the use of Gaelic and of promoting a positive image of it.

Corporate Identity

Signs (internal and external)

Section 2 - Communications

The use of Gaelic at the initial point of contact that members of the public have with a public authority increases the visible and audible presence of the language, and contributes to the sense that the use of Gaelic is possible and welcome. In addition to raising the profile of the language, it also creates opportunities for its practical use and encourages members of the public to use Gaelic in subsequent dealings with the public authority.

The use of Gaelic in interactions with the authority by mail, email and by telephone is important in creating practical opportunities for the use of the language, and in contributing to the sense that its use is possible and welcome. The presence of Gaelic in a wide range of Gaelic forms, or in bilingual forms, can also greatly enhance the visibility and prestige of the language. The preparation of Gaelic versions of forms, applications and similar documents, can also assist in expanding the range of Gaelic terminology and the awareness of the Gaelic-speaking public of such terminology, helping the development of the language itself.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of creating opportunities for the practical use of Gaelic in a wide range of everyday situations and is committed to increasing its level of provision in this area.

Reception

Telephone

Mail and email:

Forms:

Public Meetings:

Complaints Procedure:

Section 3 - Publications

The use of Gaelic in a range of printed material can assist Gaelic development in a variety of ways. It helps increase the visibility of the language, it enhances Gaelic's status by being used in high-profile publications, and it can help develop new, and enhance existing, terminology. The use of Gaelic in the media helps demonstrate a public authority's commitment to making important information available through the medium of Gaelic, as well as enhancing the visibility and status of the language. As more people access information about public authorities through their websites, making provision for the use of Gaelic can significantly enhance the status and visibility of the language.

The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the use of Gaelic in these areas where the subject matter is of most interest to the general public or relates specifically to Gaelic issues.

Public Relations and Media

Printed Material:

Websites:

Exhibitions:

Section 4 - Staffing

In order to deliver services through the medium of Gaelic, it is necessary to develop the requisite job skills and language skills of their staff. The provision of language learning for staff helps promote adult Gaelic learning, and in promoting Gaelic as a useful skill in the workplace. The identification of jobs in which Gaelic is an identified skill will contribute greatly to the status of the language, and in identifying it as a positive skill to acquire.

The use of Gaelic in advertising also helps recognise that Gaelic should be used in public life and that Gaelic speakers have an important role to play within a public authority. Whatever the level of Gaelic skills required, it is important that authorities ensure that Gaelic is a genuine occupational requirement and adopt and apply objective criteria to ensure appointments are made in each case on a fair and consistent basis, and reflect the identified skills needs of the post.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of recognising Gaelic as an important job skill and of identifying situations in which its use is essential or desirable. The Scottish Government also recognises the importance of enabling staff to develop their Gaelic skills where they wish to do so.

Training

Language Learning

Recruitment

Advertising

CHAPTER III - COMMITMENTS TO THE NATIONAL PLAN FOR GAELIC

Overview of the National Plan

One of the key features of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 is the duty placed on Bòrd na Gàidhlig to prepare a National Plan for Gaelic. The purpose of developing a National Plan was to ensure that there would be a comprehensive and widely understood overview of what actions are needed to ensure a sustainable future for Gaelic, and which bodies should take those actions. The ultimate goal of the National Plan is to stabilise and then grow the number of Gaelic speakers in Scotland.

The Bòrd's National Plan identifies four interlinking aspects of language development which need to be addressed, and within them sets out a number of priority action areas:

Language Acquisition

Increasing the number of Gaelic speakers by ensuring the language is passed on and by securing effective opportunities for learning Gaelic, through:

• increasing the use and transmission of Gaelic in the home
• increasing the number of children acquiring Gaelic in the home
• increasing the uptake and availability of Gaelic-medium education
• increasing the number of adult Gaelic learners progressing to fluency

Language Usage

Encouraging greater use of Gaelic, providing opportunities to use the language, and promoting access to Gaelic forms of expression, through:

• increasing the use of Gaelic in communities
• increasing the use of Gaelic in tertiary education and places of work
• increasing the presence of Gaelic in the media
• increasing the promotion of Gaelic in the arts
• increasing the profile of Gaelic in the tourism, heritage and recreation sectors.

Language Status

Increasing the visibility and audibility of Gaelic, enhancing its recognition and creating a positive image for it in Scottish public life, through:

• increasing the number of bodies preparing statutory Gaelic Language Plans
• increasing the profile and prestige of Gaelic
• increasing the visibility and recognition of Gaelic.

Language Corpus

Strengthening the relevance and consistency of Gaelic and promoting research into the language, through:

• increasing the attention given to the relevance and consistency of the Gaelic language
• increasing the attention given to the quality and accessibility of Gaelic translations
• increasing the availability of accurate research information.

The Scottish Government is committed to playing its part to ensure that the National Plan is implemented, and in this section we set out how we will do so.

An overview of the Scottish Government's ambitions for Gaelic

Gaelic is an integral part of Scotland's heritage, national identity and current cultural life. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that Gaelic also has a sustainable future in Scotland. The Scottish Government has taken action and has invested in Gaelic and has put in place the necessary structures and initiatives and is committed to ensuring Gaelic has a sustainable future in Scotland.

These measures are designed to raise the status and prestige of Gaelic, to ensure that the acquisition of Gaelic is prized and to create opportunities for its use in a wide range of contexts. The Scottish Government's programme for Gaelic includes three main priority commitments and each of these have practical steps that we will take to ensure progress is made with these commitments.

• We will enhance the status of Gaelic

This involves ensuring that Gaelic is given an increased profile within Scottish public life and that there is an increase in the provision of services for Gaelic speakers.

• We will promote the acquisition and learning of Gaelic

This will include promoting and expanding the provision of Gaelic education at all levels, supporting local authorities, working with Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

• We will encourage the increased use of Gaelic

This will be achieved by supporting and advising Bòrd na Gàidhlig in the delivery of key projects in the National Plan and with the establishment of the Gaelic digital service.

The ways in which the Scottish Government currently supports Gaelic development

The Scottish Government already promotes and supports Gaelic development in a wide range of ways. It does this through direct funding to bodies such as Bòrd na Gàidhlig, through the actions of Executive Agencies and NDPBs which carry out functions on behalf of the Scottish Government, and through the activities of bodies which operate within the statutory and policy environment established by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament. Set out below is a summary of the most significant elements of this existing support structure.

There are currently fifteen Agencies of the SG. The provisions of this Gaelic Plan will also cover the operations of these Agencies. In some cases Agencies have distinctive role and functions, and may prefer to develop their own Gaelic Language Plan in discussion with Bòrd na Gàidhlig. However, in these cases we would expect the principles and scope of the SG Plan to be followed. This is the case with Historic Scotland and HMIE and given their distinctive functions, there is considerable advantage for these agencies in doing so.

Implementation of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 - the 2005 Act was commenced in February 2006, creating a framework for the development of Gaelic Language Plans by public bodies, and establishing a new body, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, to promote and develop Gaelic. As sponsor of the 2005 Act, the Scottish Government takes a close interest in its implementation.

Implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages - the Charter is designed to protect and promote Europe's lesser used languages and has been ratified in the UK in respect of Gaelic and Scots, Cornish, Welsh, Manx, Ulster-Scots and Irish-Gaelic. The Scottish Government is responsible for implementing those aspects of the charter which fall in devolved areas, such as education provision and cultural development. The Scottish Government works with a range of public, private and voluntary bodies to ensure implementation of the Charter across Scotland.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig - Bòrd na Gàidhlig was established under the 2005 Act with a statutory remit to promote and facilitate the promotion of Gaelic development. Bòrd na Gàidhlig is the Scottish Government's principal Gaelic development body and is responsible for disbursing the Scottish Government's direct Gaelic development funding. The Bòrd's budget for Gaelic development is £5.4m in 2008/09 and through this its supports a range of Gaelic development bodies such as Comunn na Gàidhlig and Cli Gàidhlig to undertake development work in the community, the home and in adult education. Bòrd na Gàidhlig is the lead body for driving implementation of the National Plan for Gaelic and the key projects within it.

Meadhanan Gàidhlig Alba -MG Alba funds, schedules and commissions Gaelic television programmes and receives £12.4m from the Scottish Government to do this. GMS is currently working in partnership with the BBC on the Gaelic digital television service. This new service has established a dedicated channel for delivering an increase in hours of, and more varied range of, Gaelic programming. The service also has a key role to play a role in attracting new Gaelic speakers and providing support for education initiatives.

Local Authorities - local authorities have an important role in the promotion of Gaelic in Scotland. The level and range of provision varies depending on the profile of Gaelic in the different council areas. The Scottish Government provides funding amounting to £5.6m, for authorities to assist with the additional costs of Gaelic education and the Scottish Government provides funding for Bòrd na Gàidhlig which can be allocated to authorities and others in connection with the provision of Gaelic services. Legislation with Gaelic provisions, applying to authorities include, the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, the Standards in Scotland's School etc Act 2001 and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.

Cultural development bodies - the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen are the principal bodies in Scotland responsible for supporting the development of art and culture and the screen industries respectively. Both organisations have a strong track record in supporting Gaelic development, and this will continue to be a strategic objective of Creative Scotland when the new body is established to take over the roles and functions of the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen.

Economic development bodies - Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise ( HIE) are the main bodies in Scotland responsible for promoting economic development. HIE in particular has played a central role in supporting Gaelic development in the Highlands and Islands. It has done so in both cultural and economic terms, support projects such as Fàs at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and a range of community development initiatives. HIE will continue to have a central role to play in supporting the Gaelic economic infrastructure within its area of operation and is among the first bodies to prepare a statutory Gaelic Language Plan.

Education bodies - the delivery of education provision and support materials is the responsibility of a wide range of bodies, ranging from local authorities to bodies such as the Scottish Qualifications Authority, Learning and Teaching Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council, HMIE and Stòrlann. The Scottish Government provides a scheme of Specific Grants for Gaelic Education to ensure that the development of Gaelic provision continues to expand and is prioritised, which currently totals £5.6m.

Other sector-specific bodies - A wide range of other agencies and NDPBs carry out functions on behalf of the Scottish Government, and through their activities are likely to enhance the status of Gaelic. Scottish Natural Heritage, General Register Office for Scotland, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, University of the Highlands and Islands and others are all involved in promoting and supporting the Gaelic language in a variety of ways.

How the Scottish Government will support Gaelic development in the future

The Scottish Government will continue to support Gaelic development in the ways described above. In addition, we will prioritise the actions set out below to accelerate Gaelic development and ensure that we continue to lead the way in creating a sustainable future for Gaelic. These actions are grouped under the Language Status, Language Acquisition and Language Usage headings of the Bòrd's National Plan to help make clear how our activities link with its implementation.

We will promote the acquisition and learning of Gaelic

The Scottish Government recognises that a sustainable future for Gaelic requires more people to learn the language and that attention requires to be focused on the home, education and adult learning as the key means of achieving this. We will take the following steps to help create a supportive environment for growing the number of Gaelic speakers in Scotland.

• we will support and help implement recommendations from the National Gaelic Education Steering Group which has been established by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and which brings together all relevant interests in the Gaelic education sector, and we will seek specific advice from the group on a number of priority areas
• we will maintain the system of specific grants for Gaelic education to help develop the Gaelic education sector and we have increased the funding available to local authorities to ensure that the development of new Gaelic units and dedicated schools are prioritised
• we will promote Gaelic-medium education as a positive choice for parents, working with local authorities and Bòrd na Gàidhlig to deliver this
• we will encourage and support the development of dedicated Gaelic-medium schools, to help create the most productive environment for learning Gaelic in primary schools
• we have established a Gaelic school capital fund to support local authorities
• we have published our proposals for introducing a legislative presumption against closing rural schools and tightening the regulations for all school closures. These reflect the importance rural schools can play in guaranteeing that Gaelic remains a feature of communities where it has traditionally been spoken. We held a public consultation and are considering the comments from the consultation
• we will continue to identify Gaelic as a high priority for the Scottish Funding Council and support Sabhal Mòr Ostaig as a central of excellence for Gaelic learning and cultural development
• we will maintain funding for Bòrd na Gàidhlig's Gaelic Teacher Recruitment Officer to ensure that the Teachers' Action Group report is fully implemented, and we will investigate new ways of ensuring teacher supply matches demand
• Bòrd na Gàidhlig will make progress with the implementation of the National Plan in the areas of home, early years and adult education
• we will encourage NDPBs to support Gaelic language skills development amongst their staff
• we will encourage Local Authorities and other bodies to undertake Gaelic linguistic skills surveys
• we will continue to support the work of bodies, such as Learning Teaching Scotland, in the variety of services and resources they provide for Gaelic users.

We will encourage the increased use of Gaelic.

The Scottish Government recognises that creating a sustainable future for Gaelic requires not only increasing the number of people able to speak the language, but increasing actual usage. We recognise the importance of enabling more people to use Gaelic as their preferred and normal mode of communication in an increasingly wide range of daily activities. Along with the activities described in Chapter 2 on Core Commitments, the Scottish Government will take the following steps to help develop a more positive image for Gaelic:

• we have provided additional funding to Bòrd na Gàidhlig to enable it to deliver key projects in the National Plan, with a prioritisation of those which will help develop Gaelic at the community
• we will promote the use of Gaelic in the community and encourage local authorities and others to support developments in this area
• we have supported the establishment of the MGALBA/ BBC partnership to deliver a Gaelic digital service and have provided the necessary funding to ensure the channel is established
• we will require Bòrd na Gàidhlig to make progress with National Plan implementation particularly in the areas of arts, publishing, media, community and the workplace
• we will look for opportunities to promote the Gaelic arts both in Scotland and internationally
• The work to implement the trunk road bilingual sign policy on those routes leading to western isles ferry ports is currently ongoing. This work will be followed by research to evaluate the economic, social and environmental effects of bilingual road signs, including road safety, in order to inform future policy
• we will encourage tourism bodies to promote Gaelic at points of entry such as airports and ports and to look for opportunities to support Gaelic in their various initiatives
• We will encourage Bòrd na Gàidhlig to make progress with its proposed Gaelic language academy which will encourage bodies such as Scottish Qualification Authority, Learning Teaching Scotland, Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig, Lews Castle College and Ordnance Survey to make progress in working on the consistency, relevance and orthography of the Gaelic language.

We will enhance the status of Gaelic

The Scottish Government recognises that the status of a language is affected by its presence in the daily environment and the extent to which it is used, valued and perceived to be valued by those institutions which play an important role in our daily lives. Along with the activities described in Chapter 2 on Core Service Delivery Commitments, we will take the following steps to help develop a more positive image for Gaelic.

• we will issue strategic guidance to the public sector and other relevant bodies explaining the policy background to the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, the responsibilities which flow from them, and the need for bodies to plan for how they can assist with their implementation and support Gaelic development
• we have prepared this statutory Gaelic Language Plan under the terms of the Gaelic Language Scotland Act 2005 setting out how the Scottish Government will use and enable the use of Gaelic in relation to its corporate identity, communications, publications and staffing
• we will ensure support is provided to public bodies which have been issued with a notice to develop a Gaelic Language Plan by Bòrd na Gàidhlig to enable them to take a positive approach to the development of their plans, and to bring tangible benefits to Gaelic speakers
• we will encourage public bodies and executive agencies to develop Gaelic policies in advance of being requested to develop statutory Gaelic Language Plans by Bòrd na Gàidhlig to build momentum in implementation of the Gaelic language (Scotland) Act 2005 and ensure the whole public sector plays its supporting Gaelic development
• we will use the corporate planning process to ensure that Government agencies, NDPBs and Health Authorities engage with the National Plan for Gaelic and identify areas where they can contribute to its implementation when they plan for their future operation
• we will encourage the UK Government and its Departments and Agencies which operate in Scotland to play their part in supporting Gaelic development and implementing the 2005 act following the commitment which was given during the passage of the Gaelic Language Bill
• we will assess the linguistic consequences of new policies or initiatives to ensure, as far as is reasonably possible, that they do not impact adversely on the use of Gaelic, and where possible we will ensure that they impact positively
• we will consult Bòrd na Gàidhlig on any new policies or initiative which will have a direct impact on Gaelic development
• working with other bodies with an interest in this area, such as Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Bòrd na Gàidhlig, we will undertake research into key areas of Gaelic development.

CHAPTER IV - IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING

Timetable

This Gaelic Language Plan formally will remain in force for a period of 5 years from this date or until a new plan has been put in place. In Chapter II - Core Commitments we have set out the individual target dates for when we expect to implementation specific commitments, such as an audit of linguistic ability within the Scottish Government within year one.

Publicising the Plan

The Scottish Government Language Plan will be published bilingually on the Scottish Government website. In addition, we shall:

• issue a press release announcing the Plan;
• make copies of the Plan available in our public offices and reception areas;
• make the Plan known to employees via the Scottish Government Intranet;
• distribute copies of the Plan to our NDPBs and Agencies, agents and contractors;
• distribute copies of the Plan to other interested bodies; and
• make copies available on request.

Administrative arrangements for implementation

This Plan is the policy of the Scottish Government and has been endorsed both by Scottish Ministers and by the Strategic Board of the Scottish Government.

Overall Responsibility

The Permanent Secretary will be responsible ultimately for ensuring that the Scottish Government delivers the commitments set out in this Plan.

Directors-General

The Scottish Government will adopt a devolved approach to the implementation of the Plan and Directors-General will be responsible for ensuring that their staff are made aware of the Plan and how it affects their area of work.

Scottish Government Gaelic Unit

The Scottish Government's Gaelic Unit, which is part of the EEA&C Directorate and is responsible for Gaelic policy matters, will be given responsibility for collecting information about the implementation of the Plan and reporting this to the Strategic Board and the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture on an annual basis. This report will be made available to Bòrd na Gàidhlig and a summary published on our website. In the event that the terms of the Plan are not being met, then the report will explain the reasons why and will set out the steps which are being taken by the Scottish Government to address the difficulties.

Individual staff members

Guidance will be produced and be available on the Scottish Government's intranet that explains to staff what the plan means for them. This general guidance will be augmented as appropriate with information on the handling of Gaelic correspondence, telephone calls and the production of bilingual communications.

Services delivered by third parties -

The Scottish Government will seek to ensure that, where appropriate, agreements or arrangements made with third parties which relate to the delivery of its services to the public are shaped by the terms of this Plan. This commitment includes services which may be contracted out. Where the third party does not have a Gaelic language plan in place, then we shall encourage them to follow the terms of the Scottish Government Gaelic Language Plan and to ensure that their staff are informed of the terms of the plan.

The relevant contract manager will be responsible for monitoring the performance of the service provider in relation to any arrangements made for the Gaelic language. This will be carried out as a normal part of the contract management process.

Resourcing the Plan

The Scottish Government will make appropriate provision for the resourcing of this Plan, in respect of those services delivered directly by us. Our NDPBs and Agencies, agents and contractors will be responsible for arranging to meet the costs of implementing their own Gaelic language plans.

Monitoring of implementation

In monitoring implementation of the Scottish Government Gaelic Language Plan, we will focus on the following areas in particular:

• Scottish Government policies and how they impact on Gaelic development;
• the implementation of specific core commitments in Chapter II, such as the amount of correspondence received in Gaelic, the amount responded to in Gaelic, and response time;
• the contribution being made towards implementation of the National Plan for Gaelic as set out in Chapter III;
• details of materials published in Gaelic whether in whole or in summary form;
• the quality of the service provided by the interpretation/translation providers including response times;
• reviewing qualitatively how effectively the Scottish Government is taking the Gaelic language into consideration in its day-to-day running;
• the nature and number of comments received regarding the delivery of the measures contained in the Plan;
• the number of Gaelic users (at various levels of fluency and with various skills) in the Scottish Government;
• the amount of Gaelic language learning being undertaken by Scottish Government staff;
• the number of posts advertised by the Scottish Government where a certain level of Gaelic are included in the job description and details of how these posts were filled; and
• the progress being made by Scottish Government Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies towards development of their own plans.

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